We have recently completed the 2018 La. 4-H and FFA Horse Show season, and winners will now go on to compete at the Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championships in Perry, Georgia. As a 4-H instructor, an observer of the 4-H competition, and a competitor myself in the La. Equine Council Ranch Riding event, I want to share some of my observations about what it takes to be a consistent winner.

Everyone has their own ideas about how to succeed, but most winners will agree about some basic assumptions. First of all, it takes hard work. One can win by luck, but that doesn’t offer consistent success. To be a winner means that competitors will dedicate themselves to the goal on a long-term and consistent basis. They must ride when it’s hot, cold, rainy, dry, dusty, late, or early. And they must be willing to lose as they learn. They must be willing to start from the bottom to make it to the top. I always compared winning to climbing a ladder. Almost all individuals climb a ladder the same way- starting from the bottom rung. In my years of coaching 4-H kids and some adults, I have seen the results of winning without effort. It leads to disappointment when the kids expect to win again, and they don’t. If it comes easily, without much effort, the results and euphoria will be short-lived, and the lessons of hard work and perseverance will be missed. The same lessons apply to us as adults.

Many times, competitors simply go through the motions of working to win, without having a goal in mind. If you are working because someone else is making you, such as a parent, spouse, or other person, your chances of reaching your goals are greatly reduced. YOU have to want success enough to do whatever it takes to win- legally. That last word has trapped many would- be winners who want to take shortcuts. If winning is the only goal, without self- improvement and character development, the win will be hollow. Just look at the kids who win because mommy or daddy or a hired hand does all the work. It doesn’t mean anything. Anything illegal almost always comes back to haunt to doer of the deed. Getting a reputation as a cheater is worse than not winning.

So what about hard work? You must have goals, and a reason to work. You have to study the game or event you are interested in winning. You have to know what to do to improve. You have to take care of details, like grooming your horse, cleaning your tack, proper dress for the event, good nutrition, and knowing the rules. If you feel that you can’t win because the judge is unfair, or the system is rigged against you, maybe you need to try something else. Most judges I know want to reward the best performances, regardless of who is in the saddle. That’s not to say that a sour attitude doesn’t hurt your chances to win. If you are rude or disrespectful during a pre-show clinic, don’t expect the judge to be able to forget that rudeness when you compete. He/she is only human, and will be mindful of your attitude, even before the actual class begins.

Ask questions if your performance and results don’t match up. Try to video your run. Ask the judge for his reasons for your placing, if that is allowed. Most times he will be happy to help you, if time permits. Perhaps a friend can point out your mistakes to help you. It’s all about eliminating your errors until your run is flawless.

Don’t focus on beating someone else. That can lead to jealousy and ill-feelings. Focus on beating your last performance, and cheer for your rivals, as you hope they will cheer for you when you win.Try to act like a winner, regardless of how you place in the competition.

Competition is not easy. You are putting yourself out there for everyone to see how good you are, or how good you’re not. You are opening yourself to critique, and sometimes, to criticism. Most of those who criticize are not competitors themselves. Competitors are traveling the same course you are, even if they’re ahead of you. If they offer advice, consider it and if it can help you. Just because they beat you at one show doesn’t make them a better horseman. It only means they beat you that day.

If someone is trying to help you, whether for free or for a fee, it’s up to you to practice. Most coaches want you to succeed. If you brag about not riding or practicing since the last lesson, they will lose interest in helping you, even if you are paying them. Don’t waste their time and yours by not practicing. You will soon lose their support and enthusiasm for trying to make a difference for you.

Finally, eat right, avoid bad habits beyond moderation, get enough sleep, and say thank you to those who help you. And by the way, if you only ride to enjoy friends, a pretty day, or a peaceful trail, that’s fine, too. Be safe!

Farmers and ranchers have had the spotlight of national media attention for the past several months, and not necessarily in a positive light. Of course the trade negotiations are a recurring story, whether it’s the impacts of NAFTA or trade wars with China. As our margins are already tight, and we’ve already experienced market declines based on speculation, I hope these trade talks settle in a few short-term battles rather than a long-lasting war. But trade isn’t the only topic bringing attention to farmers and ranchers. Thanks in large part to a Centers for Disease Control Study released in 2016, numerous stories and articles by many of the national and international media outlets have covered suicide rates among farmers and ranchers.

Upon reading these articles, I found myself simultaneously unsurprised and taken aback. Yes, our farm incomes have fallen upwards to 50% since 2013. Some market prices are exactly the same as they were decades ago. The dairy industry is facing a compounded challenge of low prices with an unfathomable oversupply. In a conversation with a dairy farmer, he compared the 1% oversupply that led to the dairy buyout in the mid-1980s, to today’s surplus in excess of 12%. We all know exactly how tough the farm economy is because we live and breathe it every single day.

Yet, I was surprised by some of the suicide-rate comparisons. Although the CDC retracted the study and is now recalculating it with more accurate numbers, suicide rates in rural areas are exponentially higher than in urban areas. The study found rates among farmers, ranchers, fisherman and loggers, presented as one group, was more than double that of veterans or emergency workers. When you think about the variables we have no control over, such as volatile markets, weather, or a natural disaster destroying the crop, the stress farmers carry is intense on a good day. Furthermore, the access to mental health professionals tends to be lacking in rural areas.

Another hindrance farmers and ranchers face is cultural. Dr. Mike Rosmann, an Iowa farmer, a psychologist, and one of the nation’s leading farmer behavioral health experts, has developed the agrarian imperative theory. Through years of working with farmers and ranchers, he’s concluded people engaged in farming have a strong urge to supply essentials for human life, and to produce these goods at all costs. When farmers can’t fulfill this purpose, they feel despair. The same drive that blesses farmers in good, successful years, exacerbates the struggles of bad years. Dr. Rosmann worked with Sowing Seeds of Hope, which connected farmers to affordable behavioral health services. This program became the model for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN), which was included in the 2008 Farm Bill, but not funded.

A friend relayed a conversation he had with a young farmer. This farmer conveyed how very concerned he is with the current economic outlook for agriculture, and how overwhelming that stress is. He also remarked that his father views this current situation with the outlook that if they made it through the 1980s farming recession, they’ll make it through this one too – almost a cautious optimism in spite of the younger farmer’s worry. While I was a child in the 80s, through the lenses of my child’s eyes, I do remember how stressful it was for my parents.

Now is a very real time we need to be available to our friends, neighbors and peers. If you made it through the last hard time in farming, and now see someone facing this challenge for the first time, lend an ear or offer some words of encouragement. What helped you get through the last struggle? I’m sure those words of experience are helpful to the younger generation. If you’re facing this farming recession for the first time, check on your farming friends. More than likely, you’re sharing some of the same challenges. Those challenges get easier when you know others are in the same situation.

Amelia Kent and her husband, Russell, raise beef cattle and hay in East Feliciana Parish. Amelia is a past chair of Louisiana’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee, is currently a member of the - Partners in Advocacy Leadership program with AFBF, and serves on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. Find them on Facebook at Kent Farms; or on Instagram and Twitter @kentfarms_la.

Respect other segments in the beef industry and agriculture in general

98% : 2% - We’re all in this together

ADVOCACY

Over the past few months, I’ve had the honor of presenting at a few seminars. In my first presentation at a grass-fed beef workshop, I used a slide that included the bullets above. As I was preparing for my second presentation focusing on profitability, I couldn’t help but include the same slide again, albeit a bit tangential.

You see, the second presentation was shortly after a conversation I had with a dear friend. She and her family grow produce and direct market to their local community through both famers markets as well as a CSA, short for Community Supported Agriculture. CSAs can take on various models, shapes and sizes, but in essence depend upon the local community to help fund their crops on a crop-share design. A household participates in the crop by purchasing a produce box on a weekly basis on whatever the farm is picking that week. The crop seasons are variable, but usually consist of several weeks per season, and multiple seasons per year, climate allowing. Just as on other farms, these farmers are continuously planning crop varieties, soil health and planting rotations to allow for maturity and picking, and marketing their crops. While CSA is still an unfamiliar term to many in agriculture, this model has been around for a few decades, and an intrinsic benefit to all of agriculture is the sheer number of consumers with whom this one farmer is reaching. The same can be said at farmers markets as well.

What on earth did we talk about that made me think of that slide? My friend is also involved with Farm Bureau and was telling me about a few conversations she’d had recently that frustrated me. One of those conversations was with an acquaintance who farmed in a conventional crop setting. In that conversation, that person didn’t realize that my friend’s farm is a legitimate farm with some of the same challenges as on other farms. This person also acted threatened by niche farming, with the perception that niche farmers generally are disrespectful to other types of farming, including those that are larger scale and market their crops in conventional outlets. Thanks in large part to my friend’s patience and willingness to participate in this dialog, some of the air was cleared and it sounds like the other person gained an appreciation for other types of farming.

Another past conversation my friend shared with me was at a farmers market, where some of her friends were asking her quite critical questions about Farm Bureau. Some of this dialog included accusations that Farm Bureau and other industry organizations are not hospitable to smaller-scale farmers and those who participate in niche marketing, and that these groups only focus on “big ag.” Thanks in part to leadership training, my friend’s patience once again persevered and she was able to answer these questions and clarify some misperceptions and even invited them to a meeting.

Did you know the average size of a cow herd in the United States is 40 head? Did you also know that the livestock advisory committee within Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation is one of the largest advisory groups? An inherent benefit of smaller farms is more votes from those with an agricultural perspective. In a society in which those engaged in agriculture represent less than 2% of the population, these agricultural perspectives are incredibly important.

I read an article describing how farmers’ social license to farm is under attack, as seen in rural votes against farms and processing facilities in North Carolina, Kansas and Oregon. When the majority of voters do not understand what we do on a daily basis, it is up to us to educate them and reinforce our social license to farm, ranch, and responsibly tend to our daily business.

That same conversation with my friend about her encounters troubles me because we’re all in this social challenge together. Most people in our society are at least two and three generations removed from any farm experience. We need to present a solid front representing agriculture, though we may farm and market our crops differently. If we want respect from our communities, we must respect our fellow farmers first.

Amelia Kent and her husband, Russell, raise beef cattle and hay in East Feliciana Parish. Amelia is a past chair of Louisiana’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee, is currently a member of the - Partners in Advocacy Leadership program with AFBF, and serves on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. Find them on Facebook at Kent Farms; or on Instagram and Twitter @kentfarms_la.

The successful horse sale last month at the Gray Ranch is a refreshing sign of a strong horse market. A few things struck me about the horses being offered for sale there. Even though this is a ranch operation where horses are raised almost totally in the pasture, the sale horses were all clean, with manes, tails, hooves and hair coats properly groomed. The horses that were ridden in the sale ring were under typical, working ranch saddles and tack, with no bling or chrome, but the horses themselves were healthy and presentable.

This is just part of good salesmanship. It could also be called good showmanship.Showmanship is not only presenting your horse in a show ring situation but presenting your horse well whenever you want to make a good impression. As the 4-H Horse Show season approaches, it is a good idea for kids to know how to properly set up a horse. Adult leaders and parents helping kids need to know what showmanship is, too, if they are to teach the youngsters. Nothing belies the knowledge and skills of a person more than how they train and present their horse to others. If a horse is walking all over the owner, pushing them around in a disrespectful manner, and is unclean, ungroomed and unfit, there is much less chance to make a good impression. One of the first things most knowledgeable buyers look for is structural correctness. It’s hard to see the feet and legs on a horse that won’t stand still, or walk out straight, or lead at a trot.

A horse must be able to be set up squarely with feet placed under it on all four corners. You can teach this to any horse by setting its feet up a few minutes each day. You can do this while brushing, saddling, bathing or in the normal course of the day’s events. It’s easy to simply ask the horse to place its feet squarely each day before you take the halter off to release the horse, whether in the stall or in the pasture. You can do this from the halter, without touching the feet or legs, by leading it up or back, and releasing the pressure when it moves a foot in the right direction. The easiest way is to pull down slightly to signal the horse that you are focusing on the rear legs. Move only the near side hind foot. As soon as the horse takes a step in the right direction, release the pressure, and lift the lead up to signal the horse that it did the right thing. Focus only on the left rear leg, unless the right is totally out of position. As the horse learns that it will not get a release until it moves that one rear leg, it will begin to move it back and forth, searching for the spot where it will be released. If it doesn’t move or try, back it up, then lead forward again. They figure out what you want by your persistence and consistent asking.After the back is in good enough position, meaning squarely placed under the horse and even with the other back leg, then start working on the front feet. Lift up on the halter to signal that you want the front feet to move. When they are close to being even, quit by releasing the halter pressure. It’s o.k. to pet to let the horse know it did the right thing (as long as you’re not in the show ring). Tap the leg with your boot if the horse doesn’t make any effort to move. When it moves, quit. Do a little each day until the horse understands what you want. This is all part of groundwork.

Did you ever think that your horse sees you as the herd leader? It needs your acceptance and approval to be part of the herd, even a herd of two. It seeks safety in the herd. If you are too demanding, it will either ignore you, or always be focused on other horses in the herd, instead of giving you its full attention.

Did you ever consider how you greet your horse when you go out to feed or ride? Do you acknowledge your horse by a simple touch on the nose, or a pat on the neck? Some will dismiss this as baloney, but remember that this horse is looking to you for support and safety. A simple hello in any way you choose is natural for the horse. It’s what horses do with each other. (By the way, horses don’t give other horses treats!)

Master Horseman program participants learn the value of proper groundwork in class. But it’s not something you do only in the class setting. It’s something you live daily, each time you interact with your horse. You strengthen or erode the respect your horse has for you, and vice versa, by how you interact with it, how you demand respect, and how you release and reward by taking pressure off when the horse does the right thing. It takes a lifetime to be a good herd leader, but it only takes a moment to decide that it’s worthwhile learning. Once you learn the value of “dancing” with your horse on the ground, you won’t ever go back to how you were before. It not only makes your horse look good, but it can make you a better horseman, and it is especially important to teach kids and their horses at an early age!

Rather than simply showing the horse who is boss, we need to be a leader that our horses depend on to make them feel safe and protected.

Many people, young and old, dream of being a horse trainer. Images of rearing horses or an equine friend racing up to the owner waiting at the fence have wide appeal. The reality is that horse training takes years of learning, tons of patience, and the ability to overcome frustration when the horse just doesn’t “get it.” Buying a horse and teaching it to be a good riding partner is challenging for any level of experience. There is an old saying that goes “green on green makes black and blue,” meaning that an inexperienced “green” rider and an inexperienced “green” horse results in bruising and more serious injuries. Sadly, getting a young horse that can grow up with a young child is foolish, to say the least, and dangerous, to be more realistic.

So, what is a parent, adult or youngster to do if they have a passion for horses and want to get involved? My best advice is to find a reliable friend or trainer whom you can trust. Trainers can certainly fit that bill, but remember that not all trainers are reputable, so shop around.

It’s wise to start with an older “broke” horse. The term signifies an equine that has been used for years and has proven that it will not buck, rear, run off, spook or become aggressive with an inexperience rider. Those horses can cost more, but it will be cheaper than a hospital visit or long term medical bills.

There are many sources of help in the internet. YouTube is full of video clips about horse training, but you still need someone to interpret what is being shown. I suggest that a person visit horse shows, trail rides, auction barns, ranch sales and trainers to get some ideas before they commit to buying their first horse. Learn all you can to protect yourself, and limit your investment. Start slowly with a modestly priced horse, and accept the fact that you will trade up as your skills improve. 4-H horse shows will be coming up this June, and that’s a good place to talk to parents and kids about how to get involved. Remember and understand that all horses kick, bite, step on you, and can push you out of their way. That is simply their nature, so don’t hold it against them for doing what Mother Nature has instilled in them to survive. Safety is important for all, but more so for small children that are more easily hurt.

Prepare for the first horse by studying. Know how a horse thinks, how it defends itself, what it eats, how much shelter it needs, what health care needs are, and the cost of tack and equipment. Consider the cost of saddles, halters, buckets, waterer, hay, feed, pasture, and trailer and truck. What about fencing? Barbed wire is inexpensive, but can be deadly if a horse runs into it at a full gallop. So many things need to be considered that it might be overwhelming, but if you have a real passion, it can be a lifelong love that is truly enjoyable.

Facebook has many pages and groups that can provide much information. Check out sources of information, and use whatever means will help you make informed decisions. Contact me if you have specific questions, and I will be happy to try to help you.Hcormier@agcenter.lsu.edu

The wheels of change may move slowly in Washington, D.C., but involvement on the local level can steer the direction of legislation at the Capitol. That may seem obvious with the 2018 Farm Bill, but you can also make a difference when an idea could literally have bicycle wheels rolling over farmland, through pastures and into the paths of logging trucks.

Over the past few weeks I’ve met with Congressman Ralph Abraham’s staff. These visits are especially timely as the Farm Bill was going into markup the same week as most of these meetings.

The first was a lunch with Congressman Abraham’s staffers and some neighbors in East Feliciana Parish. I was invited as I’ve participated in meetings like this before, both in Washington, D.C. and in Louisiana. The topics of discussion at this meeting included trade concerns, Farm Bill progress, arbitration clauses in contracts of all kinds, and a proposed bicycle path that could disrupt agricultural operations. Congressman Abraham is a great supporter of Louisiana agriculture and already has strong insight and positions on our trade concerns and the Farm Bill. He is the only member of Louisiana’s delegation on the House Ag Committee and he has personal farming interests.

At this meeting we were able to bring to the staffers’ attention our concerns relative to arbitration clauses and the negative impacts this potential bike path would likely present, given the proposed route. You may be thinking, what harm can a recreational bicycle path have? The proposed route spans more than 300 miles from the Texas state line to the Mississippi state line, running parallel to U.S. Highway 190 and La. Highway 10. The bike path would not be on these major highways, but would run along smaller state roads and highways. I am familiar with these roads. I also know the agricultural commerce in our area. That's why I can envision a nightmare for Louisiana’s timber and livestock industries should there be a collision between a bicycle and one of our trucks on these rural roads with no shoulders. The same could happen with grain trucks or tractors hauling sugarcane in other parts of the state.

After we presented these two new topics of concern, we also asked if there was anything they needed from us in the district. Their response was, “an opportunity to visit with constituents in the district.” How timely? Later that week, there were two local Farm Bureau annual meetings. I had the opportunity to introduce one of these congressional staffers at both of these meetings. At the end of one meeting, dairy farmers and grain farmers alike approached Congressman Abraham’s staff asking for more information about the Farm Bill, and discussions regarding Title I and Dairy. Their requests were taken down, and early the next week, the Congressman’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Ted Verrill, contacted me to ensure these requests were addressed. Verrill also asked if there were other issues of concern from our local farmers.

I share with you this experience because it is a prime example of how staying informed at the local level can influence discussion on Capitol Hill. The congressional visits to Washington, D.C. are important and have their place. But communication with constituents about their concerns is equally, if not more, important. Involvement at the local level does indeed impact discussions and policy decisions at the state and national levels, and keeps the wheels turning in the right direction.

Amelia Kent and her husband, Russell, raise beef cattle and hay in East Feliciana Parish. Amelia is a past chair of Louisiana’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee, is currently a member of the - Partners in Advocacy Leadership program with AFBF, and serves on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. Find them on Facebook at Kent Farms; or on Instagram and Twitter @kentfarms_la. ​

We recently reviewed tips on building a 50-foot round pen for horse training. The next logical step to consider is how to build a riding arena. The time you spend planning will be important later for the life of the structure.

First, where will you put a large item such as an arena? Regardless of the final size, you will need to allow for the flow of traffic, both automotive, tractors and farm implements, horse trailers, and livestock around the site. Assume that you will need to haul sand to build the footing, so plan for a large dump truck to enter and exit without tearing down a fence. Also, plan to get a tractor with some type of grooming tool in and out on a regular basis — every couple of days at least. If your gate and egress area is too small, expect frustration and maybe damage to the fence. Will roping calves be unloaded and loaded? What about unbroken horses, colts, or breeding mares? Do you need a side pen to funnel them into trailers?

As you consider the size and placement, consider the drainage. Flat ground is not the best, neither is turtle-backed land. Turtle-backed, or crowned, land that is higher in the middle will end up being flat after several years of grooming. In addition, the water will drain to the sides, where most of your riding might take place. Over time, the rain will carry the soil and sand from the crown to the sides, and it will be flat, which will not allow rains to drain off and dry quickly. The ideal spot is slightly higher on one side than the other to allow water to drain. It is true that the higher side will erode, and the lower side will get deeper over time, but that is still the best of both worlds, if you happen to have land that has a slight grade.

How big you build the pen depends on how big your budget is. The bigger the pen, the more cost in fencing and sand. You will need to add sand over time because it actually wears out and blows away. Try to make the pen big enough to be able to lope and run a horse without danger of falling in the corners. I would say 100 feet by 150 feet is a modest size for most applications. Bigger is better, if you can afford it. Again, it will depend on how much room you have.

Let’s talk about materials. You will need fence posts, which could be pipe or treated lumber, spaced about every 8 feet. Do not use landscape timbers. They will rot in a few years and need replacing. Four-by-four-inch treated posts are more expensive but will last much longer. If you can afford pipe, so much the better, but consider how you will attach the rest of the fencing. Can you weld, or can you afford someone to do that task for you. You can use corral panels, or cable, or even hog wire to form a barrier. Wood is pleasing to the eye, and you might need it for the top and mid-section. But unless you plan to use treated lumber, wood has limitations, such as cost, longevity and safety. In addition, if you keep horses in the arena at times, wood invites chewing, which leads to cribbing. That is a bad vice that comes from boredom.

How many gates will you have? Gates allow you to practice sidepassing, and opening and closing them, which improves the usefulness of your horse.

What about shade? Will you ride mostly in the late afternoons, after work? Trees close by will provide shade, but they might also develop roots that will make a horse stumble. Some trees, like sycamore, drop big leaves that clog up the tines on a harrow. Ideally, tall mature trees that are some distance away will provide late afternoon shade, without the negative effects. Trees also allow you tie a horse close by while you ride another.

Consider a viewing stand of some kind so a coach can sit and teach the kids or other adults. Consider some type of raised platform with a bench or a couple of lawn chairs so you can see over the fence. Five feet high is probably a good average. Less than that might promote jumping out of the pen when the pressure from inside gets too high. Too high is unnecessary and adds to the cost. Having electricity is a big plus because you can then plug in a PA system, camcorder or a box fan. A luxury? Yes, but a very practical one.

What about wind damage to walls? It is a disagreeable chore to try to straighten big sections of fencing after a storm. The more wall you put up, the more it will catch and be damaged by wind, especially hurricane force winds for a couple of days.

Last, but certainly not least, consider the top (lighting) and bottom (footing) needs. Can you afford to put up a few big lights or many smaller ones? You’ll need tall poles to maximize the reach of the lights and a source of electricity.

Sand is necessary to improve the footing. I suggest scraping the grass off before you add any sand. It will take less sand to cover the soil properly, and will improve traction and cushioning. Unless you add a lot of sand, it will still be slippery after a rain. You want to avoid disking or tilling deeply, as the sand will move deeper into the soil profile and seem to disappear if you work it too deeply. Work as often as necessary to keep grass from getting established. Try not to gouge the sand out of one area when working it because that will make a slick spot or a deep spot where the sand is moved, and could lead to tendon injuries.

Finally, plan on how you will work the arena. A four-wheeler, UTV or garden tractor might be adequate to keep the sand loose. The most important thing is to work it often and not let grass and weeds get established.

I hope that I have given you some ideas that will help you make smart decisions.

Finally, the bad news. If you do have an arena, that knocks out your excuse for not being able to ride and improve your horse. Oh well, I’m sure we can come up with some other good ones. Happy riding!

I’ve been fortunate over the past month to travel on two very different trips, both of which provided insight to policy challenges and useful management practices I can use on our farm and in my advocacy efforts.

The first adventure was ten days in Europe with the Partners in Advocacy Leadership (PAL) program through the American Farm Bureau Federation. For my nine classmates and me, the majority of our time was devoted to an intensive case-study of Brexit, potential effects on agricultural trade, and the unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity the United Kingdom has to create new farm policy from scratch. We started our meetings at the new, beautiful U.S. Embassy in London, where we met with U.S.Department of Agriculture staff members in efforts of learning more background of the Brexit referendum and the events leading up to that fateful vote in 2016. We went on to visit with the U.K.’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), which is similar to our USDA, and learned about its bureaucratic and policy development challenges.

After a broad introduction to the bureaucratic dynamics at play, we traveled to Warwickshire and met with staff members of the National Farmers Union, which is an organization structured very similarly to the American Farm Bureau Federation. While in the country, we visited a vertically-integrated family farm, on which two generations of family members work alongside each other raising crops, caring for the cattle, grinding and bagging canola straw to sell as bedding, and manufacturing farm implements. The sheer creativity and innovation this family employs to remain a viable farming business is inspiring, to say the least! We also visited a produce processing plant where, in spite of still-dormant crops across Europe, they were packaging onions and radishes sourced from their company farms in Africa.

We then traveled to Brussels, Belgium where we received briefings from policy-makers, lobbyists and researchers working within the European Union, and heard a much more critical and skeptical account of the Brexit efforts. One of the policy-makers we visited is the Irish Minister of Agriculture. Given that Ireland is already 102% self-sufficient, one of their main concerns with potential Brexit ramifications is that they become 116% self-sufficient, and in turn have to find a new market for more than 230,000 tons of agricultural products that are currently exported to the U.K..

While in Belgium, we were fortunate to visit with Bayer researchers and tour one of its Bayer ForwardFarms on which farmers and staff members work together to implement sustainable management practices and technologies to stay ahead of Europe’s ever-tightening regulations.

While my trip to Europe focused primarily on policy development, the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Livestock Advisory Committee’s Beef Tour to Oklahoma was a great opportunity for the nearly 50 participants, including my husband and me, to study management. One of the more notable tours was of the Noble Research Institute where the staff performs research geared toward making farmers and ranchers more profitable, while focusing on soil and herd health. The work we saw at Noble was similar to work being done on the Bayer FowardFarm in Belgium. However, rather than being driven by increased social skepticism and ever-increasing regulations, the Noble Research Insitute’s work focused on continuing innovation. One of those innovations we learned about was the Integrity Beef Program. Noble works with a group of farmers and ranchers across multiple states with similar production techniques to collaborate for enhanced marketing abilities through verified sales and pooling resources on load lots.

While on the trip, we also visited Oklahoma Steel and Wire, Express Ranches, Pfeiffer Angus Ranch, and the Pjesky stocker operation. Ryan and Hope Pjesky provided vast insight for bothmy husband and me, relative to our own stocker cattle and my advocacy efforts. Hope was amember of PAL Class 3. I am currently a member of PAL Class 9, so we had lots to discuss. Ryan focuses on mitigating the risk of the cattle market through continued buying and selling of yearling cattle throughout the year. That philosophy of risk management is an approach we’re working to implement on our own farm.

Oklahoma Steel and Wire is a storybook tale of family determination and creation. It's a third generation family business. There are employees working there today who started with the business when it started in 1978. Because turning scrap iron into wire and wire panels is such a specialized task, those employees had to create some of the machines they still use today.

We also took quick tours of Oklahoma State University’s Purebred Research Farm, Feedlot Research Station and Range Cow Research Station. All were inspiring to the younger generation of cattlemen on the trip interested in careers in the beef industry at a time in which it’s difficult for those under 35 to find their path within agriculture. We did include some fun stops on this tour, including the Oklahoma City National Stockyards, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum and the Fort Worth Stockyards.

In a time in which farmers must be innovative to continue to be viable, trips like the recent Beef Tour to Oklahoma are great resources for those striving to improve management. In a similar political environment where agrarians represent less than 2% of the democratic vote, our experience learning about Brexit, and the resulting policy and trade concerns, is proving to be insightful and helpful to our group as we develop our advocacy skills.

Trips like these can give you ideas so you can make changes on and off the farm. So, if you have the opportunity to travel and learn, take it.

Amelia Kent and her husband, Russell, raise beef cattle and hay in East Feliciana Parish. Amelia is a past chair of Louisiana’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee, is currently a member of the - Partners in Advocacy Leadership program with AFBF, and serves on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. Find them on Facebook at Kent Farms; or on Instagram and Twitter @kentfarms_la. ​

Trade is a hot topic in the news today, and a high priority for America’s farmers and ranchers. Not convinced global trade has a real effect at the farm level? Let’s look at some ways I know trade directly impacts my farm. Thanks in part to projects funded by the Beef Checkoff, the value added to the beef industry by exports in 2017 alone was more than $286 per carcass/animal. I know this helps my husband and me on our farm as that increases the market value on the beef cattle we raise. Think about all the parts of an animal we Americans don’t use, but other cultures feast upon – that’s incredible added value!

Of that $286 per animal, 27 percent of that value is marketed to our fellow NAFTA countries, Mexico and Canada—totaling $1.6 billion in 2016 alone. In fact, Mexico is our second largest beef export destination and Canada our fourth largest. In other words, exports to Mexico account for 3 percent of all U.S. beef production. Can you imagine one country alone consuming that much of our farm-raised products?

Since NAFTA went into effect in 1994, agricultural exports from the United States to our NAFTA partners increased from $8.9 billion in 1993 to $39 billion in 2017. Yet, given the unknowns surrounding renegotiating NAFTA, our export customers may look elsewhere for ag products—and some already have. In 2017 Mexico sourced 45 percent more beef from Nicaragua and 9 percent more beef from Canada than in the previous year. In a time of expansion in the beef industry with all of agriculture being more efficient and productive than ever, these export markets are a crucial outlet for our crops and goods. Expanding our markets beyond our borders has been critical to the survivability of the American farm. We have increased our customer base while also keeping American-grown products affordable for consumers here at home.

Recently, I heard Dan Halstrom of the U.S. Meat Export Federation state: “How dark the ages can be if you don’t have trade.” That quote struck me as I ponder the potential of NAFTA renegotiations. I appreciate that some modernizing and updating is needed – how often do we have to update our operating systems, apps and software? However, in these discussions, we must protect the gains achieved in agricultural trade and work to remove the remaining barriers to trade with Canada and Mexico.

Let’s look again at whether global trade affects your farm or ranch or community. Economics, in its simplest form is supply and demand. Global trade increases demand for beef, which raises the price. What do we feed our cattle? Corn and soybeans from other farms. Increased demand for beef means increased demand for feed, which increases the prices of those commodities. You can’t deny the data. Global trade increases demand for U.S. agricultural products, which affects the farmer’s bottom line, keeping that farm and others like it in business. But the ripple effect doesn’t stop there—as American farms thrive, we secure our nation’s food supply, support millions of jobs, and help boost the nation’s economy.

​Amelia Kent and her husband, Russell, raise beef cattle and hay in East Feliciana Parish. Amelia is a past chair of Louisiana’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee, is currently a member of the - Partners in Advocacy Leadership program with AFBF, and serves on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. Find them on Facebook at Kent Farms; or on Instagram and Twitter @kentfarms_la.

A round pen is considered by many to be essential equipment for all horse trainers. Most people who buy their first horse hope to get a round pen as part of the package to advance their horsemanship skills. A round pen is valuable because, when used properly, it helps the horse accept the training someone will provide in a safe, enclosed environment. It is a good place to warm up a horse, especially one that has not been ridden for some time. Presumably, after the horse learns to accept the training administered by the human, it will lose its fear and become more compliant and willing to be trained. Presumably.

Before you go out and purchase a round pen, there are several things to think about to get the most benefit from this common piece of equipment. Of course you need to be aware of cost, but that’s a variable each owner will have to deal with. Too low a panel will encourage a horse to jump over, and too high will increase the cost. Let’s consider size, location, footing and upkeep.

The round pen, usually made of about 12-foot-long corral panels that pin together, is normally about 50 feet in diameter. Why 50 feet? This allows the horse to lope in a circle without undue strain on its legs. It is also small enough for the trainer to stand in the middle and direct the horse’s gait and direction. Too big a pen will quickly wear out the human who has to run across it to reach the horse with his encouragement tools to make it go faster, or change direction. There is no owner’s manual that comes with the round pen. Just as it takes years to become a horseman, or at least a good rider, it takes a lot of study and work to use a round pen properly. We will not get into that topic in this brief article, but I would like to help you think about more than the initial purchase.

If you recall that old formula you thought you’d never need to use, diameter times π, or Pi (3.1416) = circumference, you can figure how many panels you need for a 50-foot round pen. Fifty times 3.1416 equals 157 feet. Add a 6-foot bow gate, and you get a 163-foot circumference. Have I lost you? This will equal a 51.9-foot diameter, which is close enough to fifty. You’ll have to adjust this to fit the length of the panels you purchase. Don’t go for precision. You can’t cut off a piece of a panel to make the size perfect. Think ballpark figure, and you’ll be fine.

The next consideration is the location. We see lots of round pens in the middle of a pasture, away from the barn. Assuming that you will use your round pen, try not to put it far from the barn, where you will have halters, ropes, bridles, saddles and other tack stored. Also, what is the elevation? Will the area drain after a rain? If the pen stays under water, you won’t be able to get much quality training done in it. With most of our state being flat, you can’t easily find a hill next to your barn, but you might be able to haul a few loads of dirt to help drainage. You need to also consider that as the horse goes around the circle, he will throw dirt towards the outside. If you put belting or boards on the panels to keep the sand in, this turns your pen into a bowl that will hold water. If you have to use a shovel to cut through this levee so it will drain after every big rain, you’ll find that you will develop a low spot where the water carries dirt and sand away. If you’re on somewhat of a hill, even one you made, you can sink a 2-inch plastic pipe near the center, go down a few inches, then attach an elbow to a horizontal length that carries the water away from the pen. You must have some elevation difference to do this, but it works well. A good soil/sand mix will still require regular working with some type of disk or harrow. Once the soil builds up against your boards, the panels will be hard to unhook to get a tractor in, so a four-wheeler or ATV that is strong enough to drag a tool, but fits through a six foot gate, is a good idea. Another aspect of good footing is to manage grass. Be prepared to spray with a herbicide to kill the grass a couple of times a year. Upkeep of a useable round pen will be important to be able to get the most out of it. With good quality corral panels, you won’t need to repaint regularly, but you might need to treat rust that develops to prevent corrosion, especially near ground level.​Working a horse on hard ground can lead to injuries that take a long time to heal, such as splints or tendon strains, so let’s consider the footing. Regular dirt doesn’t offer much cushion and gets soggy if it stays wet. Too much sand will tire a horse and increase the incidence of strains and sprains. There needs to be a balance. If you just dump a load of sand on the ground, the horse will likely slip and fall because the sand is slippery on the dirt, so you need to mix it well before you begin actively working a horse. A sand/soil mix takes time to cure, or mix well. A tiller can be helpful for this. Avoid regular use of a disk plow because that will allow the sand to settle deeper into the soil profile. Till lightly, and once you have the mixture right, disturb it as little as possible to keep it loose.I hope this gives you some helpful tips to get the most use out of this horse training tool.